Driven steering wheel



Da/EN STEERING ,WHEEL .2 Shams-Shaw l Filed Jan. 4, 1925 Patented aug. f3.1, 1926.

WILLIAM K. MeeUoWN, oriisiaooxLyN, NEW Yoan.

DRIVEN STEERING WHEEL.

' Appiieation med January y4, 1923. seriaiN'o. 610,714.

This invention relates to a combined drive wheel and steering knuckle wherein the pivot of the wheel is .directly over the tread. r

The objects in view are to provide aniimproved construction of a simple, durable and inexpensive charactr Jior general use, in. cluding light and heavy dty work, calling Afor high power and slow speed for use on trucks, as well as high speed used on pleasure cars.-

A 'further object being to enclose and pro'- tect the parts in such away within the hub,

as-to protect them from damage due to exposure to the weather and to exclude dust and -all other forms of oreignmatter and to diminish breakage dueto side strain and increase elliciency and ease of operation.

The structure Showing .a further development of `that shown in an application executed by me on concurrent date herewith. 1 With the above and other objects in view the inventionl consists of theseland other novel. features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, more fully described in the specification and lnallypointed out in the claims 5 Similar numerals indicate oorrespdnding parts in all the figures of `the .drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through theimproved power driven steering wheel.

Fig. 2 is apdetail section of the outer hub wheel bearing plate.

Fig. 3 shows section of the innerwheel- -liub bearing plate with hub-gear attached,

and other coacting parts operated therefrom.

to made through bevel gears 7 and 8, to the.

llig. 4e is an elevation of slightlymore than one-hall of the axle showing an integral, hollow iT-head, with the outer power transfer pinions extending therefrom.

Fig. 5 is a side y,view oi' the steering spindle.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inner face of the steering spindle showing the axle in sec-v tion.

Reference now being had lto the drawings by numerals, 1'is an axle made up of the upper and lower complementary portions 2 and 3, the cross section thereot1 being of any preferred i'orm to provide lightness and strength. When the halves of the axle are assembled, a loop as shown at 4- is provided, in which the differential 5 is located, and transfer of power from the motor shaft 6, is

inner ends of the` wheel driving axle shafts 9 and 10. I

The axle members are firmly clamped together by bolts 11, passing through ears 12,

and also by plate 13, and are so formed at their outer ends as to provide a hollow T-head 14, in which the power transferring bevels are` mounted and on which the steer-` ing spindle 15 is mounted.

` rlhe wheel driving axle shaft 9, (see Figures 1-1 and 6) is mounted lin bearing 9a and is provided with a bevel gear 15 mesh'- ing with` bevel gear 1G and 17 on the inner ends of stub shafts 18 and 19, said shafts being mounted for rotary movement on vinner and outer bearings 20 and 21, and carryV at their outer ends the outer power transfer bevels 22 and 23, adapted to mesh with the hub gear 24 to drive the wheel.

The steermg spindle is mounted on upper and lower steering bearings 25-25,

mounted at the outer endson the T-head and consists of complementary halves to facilitate assembling.

Outer bearingsl 21-#21 of the stub shafts 18 and 19 are `inounted in the steering spindle which in `turn is mounted as described, on bearings 25-25 at the ends of the T-head.

The steering spindle 15 (see Figures 5 and 6.), is formed in halves as described, lwhich are secured together .by bolts 26' through flanges 27 and is provided withV an outer bearing pintle on 'which the outer wheel hub@ i' bearing 28 is mounted andis held in place by retaining nut 29 and lock washer 30. rlhe steering spindle is also provided with an inner enlarged wheel hub bearing portion 3l,- I i to which inner wheel hub bearing 32 is secured by lock-washer 33. Outer bearing 28 and inner bearing 32 assist in securing the parts o' the steering spindle together.4

'llhe wheel hub consists of the outer wheel hub bearing plate 34 and; the inner wheel' hub bearing plate .35.- The hub gear211, se-

cured to the inner .plate by bolts Sd'and the wheel hub bearing plates areso -constructed as to enclose the other parts and are secured together by bolts 3? through llanges 38, said wheel hub rotating on outer and inner bearl ings 28 and 32 respectively. 4

Snugly fitting over the outer hub wheel bearing plate is the wheel hub shell 39 s-ecured by bolts 3'?, that secure the wheel hub plates together, said' shell being provided with s oke flanges 40, in which the inner vand also in the outer stubshafts bearings The inner wheel hub bearing is retained in thev inner wheel hub plate, by retaining nut 46, and dust and other foreign *matter is excluded by felt washer 47, which is retained in place by screw cup 48'.

" Projecting from steering spindle 15 is the steering arm 49 to which the usual steering .rod (not shown) is secured.

The operation consists in the transfer of power from the motor through the differential located Vat the center of the axle, out

i to and within the T-heads at the ends thereof, through bevel gears mounted at the ends of the axle shafts, to bevels `on the stub, shafts andfrom thenceto the hub gears. AIn steering, the spindle may be oscillated about the stub shafts, without disturbing' the relationship between the meshing parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-` tersPatent is:

1. In combination with an axle, an oscillating drivenwheel, comprising rigid wheel mounting 'arms within the hub of the wheel, ,upper and `lowerstub shafts mounted inupper and lower extensions of said arms, an oscillating spindle, 'a power shaft, and means for''transferring power from, the power sha-ftv to the wheel including said stub shafts.

'2. An oscillating driven wheel in combination with any axle having rigid wheel mounting arms, upper and lower stub shafts mounted in the wheel mounting arms, an oscillating spindle mounted at the outer ends ot' the wheel 'mounting arms, a power shaft,

and means for transferring ower from the y power shaft to the wheel inc uding said stub shafts.

3. Anoscillating driven wheel in combi nation withl an axle having -rigid -wheel mounting arms, an 'oscillating mounted on the wheel mounting arms, a plurality of stub shafts mounted at their inner ends inthe wheel mounting arms and at @their outerjends in the oscillating spindle,a

power shaft, andmeans for transferrin 'power-from the power shaft to the whee arms., a plurality of stub shafts mounted in the arms and in the oscillating spindle, a power shaft mounted in the axle and extending 4within the hub, and means for transferring power from the power shaft to the wheel includinr said stub shafts.

' 5. The combination with a wheel having outer and inner hub bearings,'of an axle having vertical wheel mounting arms located between the hub bearings, stub shafts mounted in'the supporting arms, an oscillating Spindle mounted on the mounting arms and supporting the hub of the wheel, and means for transferring power to the stub shafts and thence to the wheel.

6. The combination with a wheel, having outer and inner hub bearings, of an axle having-vertical wheel mounting arms located between the hub bearings, stub shafts mounted in the supporting arms, an oscillating spindle mounted on the mounting arms and supporting the hub of the wheel, and a power shaft geared to the stub shafts, said stub shaftsgeared to the hub of the wheel.

7. The combination with a wheel having outer and inner hub bearings, of an axle having vertical Wheel mountlng arms, located bctween'the'hub hearings, of a. length greater than Ythe diameter of the' hub bearings, stub shafts mounted in the supporting arms, an oscillating spindle mounted on the mounting arms, and supporting the hub of powvhaving outer and inner hub bearings, an esl cillating spindle consisting of complementary Iparts, an axle'having a vertical Wheel mounting arm located between the hub bearings, stub shafts mounted in the supporting arms, a`power shaft mounted in the axle, and means for transferring power from the .power shaft to the wheel. spindle'v 10. The combination with a 'i steering wheel, having outer and inner hub bearings, an oscillating spindle, consisting of a plurality of parts and an axle having a vertical wheel mounting arm,` located between L the hub bearings, of a length greater than the diameter yof -the Yhub bearings, stub shafts mounted in the supporting arms, a power .shaft mounted in the axle, and means for transferring power from the power shaft to the wheel.

VVILLAM K. MCQUOWN lll) 

